By now, much time had passed ever since Simba had first fled the pride lands. The years seemed to fly by, but not quickly enough for some. Simba hadn't lived with anyone, let alone had contact with another living animal since leaving the jungle as a young cub, now He was a young teenager, beginning to show signs of growing a mane, He had grown to be bulkier than He was as a cub, but not to bulky, He was an average size.

Simba had noticed as His mane grew, there were brown streaks of hair mixed in with His red mane. Maybe His Father-

Oh what was the use?! Simba was never going to find His real Father in a million life times! He had given up that hope a long time ago, what was He supposed to do? Go around to random Lions and Lioness and ask, Hey? are you my parents? The idea was absurd!

For the years after leaving His former home behind, He had wondered around Africa endlessly sleeping somewhere different every night, and going were He pleased during the day, He was basically just some common rouge, with nowhere to go.

For now, Simba resided beside a river in a green field, there were small prides around but it's members never dared come near Simba's territory. Being on His own for so long He had to learn to be tuff, being by Yourself You had to learn how to fight, and He had His fair share of them, mostly over small things like a scrap of meat.

He had a scar on His side to prove it, He had gotten it sometime ago fighting with another rouge over a sleeping spot, believe it or not there were a lot of dangerous lions roaming around, just looking to pick a fight for no good reason, that's why You couldn't be a wimp.

Despite developing fighting skills, and better instincts over time, Simba got His butt kicked quite often when He was less experienced.

Sometimes it was hard to find food, but fortunately a good chance to catch food came on a hot summer afternoon in midsummer. A nice full grown antelope had wondered over into the territory Simba had claimed as His own, totally unaware that it was about to be lunch.

The antelope bent down to start eating grass, minding it's own business as Simba stalked Him, crouching down low to the ground, trying to keep His body hidden. When the antelope was in the perfect position, Simba pounced it, He sunk His claws deeply into the animal, then His teeth.

But then He noticed someone else had done the same thing, but had attacked the rear of the animal. It was a teenaged lioness, around Simba's age, She had blue/green eyes, and creamy fur, She would have looked very pretty to Simba if She wasn't trying to steal His food!

They both took the animal down at the same time, it was injured but not dead, and lay squirming on the ground.

"Hey?! What's the big idea?" Simba complained.

"I was here first!" The lioness snapped, "I've been stalking this antelope for miles! so back off!"

Who did this princess think She was?! Coming into His home then taking His food?!

"Well why don't you look for a few more miles?" Simba shot back, "this is my meal!"

"Says who?" She challenged.

"Says me!" Simba said defensively, "this is my land, and you are trespassing!"

"I only came to chase down my food!" She argued, "do you know how long I have been traveling!"

"Am I supposed to feel sympathy for You?" Simba asked rudely.

"Ugh! You disgusting rats are all the same!" The angry lioness snapped, "You animals only care about Yourselves!"

"Who are You calling a rat?" Simba growled, getting closer to Her.

"You! Your just a homeless violent wonderer aren't You!" The lioness seethed, "My Father warned me about You!"

"Why don't you go back to wherever You came from then?" Simba demanded, "what is a spoiled, pampered princess like You doing out here anyway!"

"Not that it's any of Your business, but I got lost during a bad storm while I was on my first hunt with the lionesses in my pride," She scoffed, "I was just making my way back today after catching a little snack!"

"Wow, Your life sounds so horrible!" Simba said sarcastically, "meanwhile I have been on my own since cubhood, wandering around fighting for my life every day, I think that beats your problems!"

"Look, we have all got issues okay!" The lioness sighed with exasperation, "why don't we just share it? If you know the meaning of the word share."

"Alright fine, but You could at least tell me what Your name is," Simba replied, lightening up a bit.

"Nala," She said, "You?"

"Simba," He replied simply, "were are you from?"

"The heartlands," Nala answered, "it's not to far from here."

"Never heard of it!" Simba said plainly, "now are you going to kill it or what?"

"Why do You want me to kill it?" Nala asked, "I though it was your meal?"

"You were the one who wanted so badly," Simba shrugged.

Nala rolled Her eyes, but swiftly bit into the antelopes neck ending it's life. After She did this, they both promptly began to devour the animal, they finished it in minutes, both starving. Simba licked His muzzle and burped loudly a few inches from Nala's face.

"Eww!" Nala said with disgust, "didn't anyone teach you manners?"

"Nope!" Simba replied honestly.

It's obvious! Nala muttered, "I think I will be going now, see you around."

"Hey wait!" Simba called after Her, "uh, why don't You stay here for a little while?"

Nala's eyes widened with surprise, He was actually asking to spend more time with Her? was this some sort of trick?

"Your asking me to stay here longer?" Nala asked with surprise.

"Yeah, it's kind of boring out here being alone," Simba admitted, "do You want to take a walk?"

"Sure, but I can't stay long, my parents will be worried about me," Nala agreed.

"Okay, come on," Simba said.

Nala decided to walk with Simba for a little while near His home, what harm could it do? He didn't seem so bad.

"Do You usually stay in one place for long?" Nala asked, in attempt to get to know Him better.

"Nah, I just go wherever I like," Simba responded.

"You have been doing that for Your whole life?" Nala questioned, "You never had a home?"

"You could say that," Simba said, "it's complicated."

"I see," Nala replied thinking about what He said, "what do You mean by that?"

"It would take a lifetime to explain," Simba said, half joking.

"I'm listening," Nala said, all ears.

"You want to hear the life story of a total stranger You couldn't stand just a few minutes ago?" Simba asked, pausing to stare at Her.

"Why not? you don't seem that bad!" Nala said.

"Gee thanks!" Simba muttered, "anyway if You really want to know I'm actually a runaway, I left because my supposed Father was abusive and was trying to raise me to follow in His footsteps, to become a King."

"Really? I'm so sorry! I had no idea!" Nala gasped, with sympathy.

"How could You?" Simba asked, cracking a small smile, "I've never really told anyone before, why don't You tell me about Yourself? nothings really that interesting about me."

Simba didn't know why He had told someone He had met a few minutes ago about His actual childhood, but She seemed pretty trustworthy, certainly easier to talk to than any prying adult.

"Well, I have lived in the heartlands all my life," Nala began still trying to forget about what Simba said, "My Father and Mother are friends of our King, I am training to become a huntress when I am old enough, I am an only cub, I am pretty average."

"Still better than my life!" Simba commented, "I would kill to have a normal life! It would be a little nice to know what that's like."

"You mean having nagging parents who are on Your case all the time?" Nala scoffed, "I'd say You were lucky not to have parents!"

"I wouldn't say that..."Simba sighed glumly.

"I guess, well Hey listen I gotta go! but if You ever want to visit my pride I live beyond that hill over there, it's a huge Kingdom, You can't miss it!" Nala said, pointing directly behind them at a large hill, "I'll see You around sometime?"

"Sure, it was nice talking with You!" Simba said, bidding Her goodbye.

"You two! see you later!" Nala said, before rushing off towards Her home.

At first Simba didn't like this girl, but She turned out to be pretty nice. Maybe He should take Her up on Her offer and visit the pride sometime, it couldn't hurt. Simba hadn't been around anyone for a long time, it was nice to have somebody to talk to after so long.

As Simba watched Nala go, a small smile began to form on His face.


"Please!" A young male begged in fear, "let me go!"

"I don't think so!" The larger male cub sneered before slitting the innocent cub's throat.

The young cub who had begged for His life, died almost instantly, barely feeling the pain. The other cub grinned proudly and bounced back over to His Father, who was beaming with pride.

"Well done my son!" Mufasa grinned, "Your doing much better!"

Much to Her dismay, Aisha had become pregnant and produced a son for Mufasa, the young boy's name was Jabari. The name was picked by Mufasa, shortly after Jabari was born He was taken from His mother, who willingly gave Him up to Sarabi.

Aisha wanted nothing to do with that child of horror! She resented Him because of the way he was born, and because She knew what His Father would raise Him to be, She wanted no part of that and didn't even acknowledge Jabari as Her own, who could really blame Her?

She was right, because unlike Simba, prince Jabari was turning out to be a monster just like Mufasa! He took mostly after His Father as far as traits. As for looks, He had brown eyes like His mother, but golden fur and rough features like His Father, they were to of a kind!

It sickened Aisha to some extent to watch what He was becoming from a distance, but then She would feel the cub wasn't Her responsibility, it belonged to Mufasa and Sarabi now, and She could do nothing about it.

"I killed two of our male cubs all at once!" Jabari bragged, "didn't I do well Father? I got rid of the rest of them like You asked."

"You did well my son," Mufasa chuckled, ruffling the tuft on top of His head, "but we still must train You even harder than before!"

Jabari was being raised the exact same way Simba had been, just with a little bit more kindness, being that Jabari excepted Mufasa's deluded teaching methods, and was eager to be just like Him.

Even though Jabari was still a young boy, He had developed a hard heart, to all except of course His precious idol, who He followed around every minute of every day.

"What will we do next Father?" Jabari asked eagerly.

"Next we will practice Your fighting skills," Mufasa said, "do You think You are up to the challenge son?"

"You bet!" Jabari agreed, as if this were completely normal.

From not to far away, Naada and Sarabi were watching the young prince and Mufasa as they began fighting with each other, this was not a small playfight, it was an actual fight, not that Jabari could put up much of one being so small, it was really Jabari getting beaten up willingly, because it would make Him stronger.

"I hope Your happy!" Naada said, shooting Her sister a dirty look.

Needless to say, Naada was still ticked off about what Her sister had done to Her daughter, and would never forgive Her for it, She could barely stand to sit next to Her without wanting to kill Sarabi.

"Why must You dwell on the past?" Sarabi sighed, what happened was a long while ago.

"Yes I understand that but as You can see it has long term consequences!" Naada hissed, talking about Jabari.

"If You are talking about my son-"

"No, Jabari is my daughter's son!" Naada snapped, "we all know you cannot have children, why Mufasa keeps You around I have no idea!"

"It is tradition," Sarabi said, ignoring Her sister's comments, "I was intended to marry Him, even if the child is not mine by blood, we have an heir to the throne now, the circle is complete."

"Is that all You think about?!" Naada snapped, "Your precious kingdom and Your precious circle of life?!"

"What else is there?" Sarabi asked, "it is essential that our King have an heir to the throne to keep our kingdom thriving!"

"Look around Sarabi!" Naada snapped, "our kingdom would be destroyed with another King like Mufasa! we are already having a drought! animals are beginning to leave, and our plant life is dying! "

"If You think so badly about this pride why won't you leave with Your daughter then?!" Sarabi questioned, losing Her temper.

"This is still my home regardless of all that!" Naada said sincerely, "I can't just leave it to rot away to dust! like it or not You know I'm right!"

I have no time for this nonsense! Sarabi growled, getting up to walk off.

"Continue to be Mufasa's puppet then just like everyone else!" Naada yelled after Her sister, "but I won't stand for this much longer!"


A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews I have received, I may update later today if I am not to busy. I will be going out of town soon, and school will begin in a few weeks, so I will update less often depending on how much School work I have.